Hebron, February 13, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli soldiers shot and killed a 41-year-old Palestinian resident of Hebron in the West Bank on Friday afternoon.

Fayez Farraj was critically wounded after Israeli soldiers opened fire at him in the neighborhood of Bab el- Zawya in the old city of Hebron. He died in a hospital a few hours later.

The Israeli army said it suspected Farraj had tried to stab an Israeli soldier in the neighborhood. However, witnesses said Farraj was walking with one of his children in the neighborhood when an Israeli soldier opened fire, adding that the soldiers prevented a Palestinian ambulance from offering first aid.

The Israeli soldiers later carried Farraj to a hospital in the city that is under the Israeli security forces' control. He then was transferred to an Israeli hospital, where he died. Farraj's body was sent back to Hebron's hospital.

Following Farraj's death, clashes erupted in the city between dozens of young men and Israeli soldiers. The men stones at the soldiers, who fired tear gas canisters to disperse the protestors.

Source: various agencies